


DollCup

by Wasabi_Cupcakes



Series: Cry Baby Series [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Melanie Martinez - Freeform, Other, Sippy Cup, dollhouse - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-19 23:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4764938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasabi_Cupcakes/pseuds/Wasabi_Cupcakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Thanks to CJcomicgirl and my friend Caitlin for this one!)</p><p>You promised yourself that you would never, ever end up like them, your parents, yet here you are in a loveless relationship. Why are you even keeping up pretenses still? Clint, however, knows something is wrong and confronts you. Will you deny anything is wrong, or finally spill the beans?</p><p>(Btw, the loveless relationship is between you and an original male character, not Clint and you. Just thought I'd clear that up.)</p><p>This is based off of the songs "Dollhouse" and "Sippy Cup" by Melanie Martinez.</p><p>Gender neutral pronouns so all can enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Please Don't Let Them Look Through the Curtains

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Sorry this took so long! I've been really busy and I had planned to do at least a chapter a day for my Cry Baby series. Honestly, getting no comments on my first story was a little disheartening, so that contributed to my late release.
> 
> This takes place after the event of Age of Ultron, but I wouldn't say it's spoiler heavy or anything.
> 
> Also PR stands so Public Resources. That means reader helps the Avengers with their public image.

You are really, _really_ good at your job; you have had years of practice after all. You are, of course, head of the PR department/spokesperson for the Avengers, but you didn't always have clients so far up the totem pole. Originally, you worked for local celebrities, your family being big wigs in the community helped you land those kind of opportunities. Soon you moved up to local government officials, and later big time celebrities. Your work with one of the US senators though, is what caught Tony Stark's, or should I say, Pepper Potts' eye.

So began your work with "Iron Man", making sure he and his company looked good. They really needed you after the fiasco with Stark weapons being sold to the wrong kind of people, and Tony's reveal as Iron Man. The job would have been so much easier if Tony had learned to keep his damn mouth shut! But you could overlook trivial things like that, considering the pay was fantastic!

So you stayed, long enough to see aliens attack New York and the eventual collapse of SHIELD. Somehow around this point you found yourself working more for the Avengers than Mr. Stark; they needed all the good publicity they could get! There was a reason why they had more shirts with their faces on them than targets, and that reason was you. Stark noticed this, modified your title and your pay grade, and just like that you became the head of PR for the Avengers. You created an entire department to keep up with social media, the press, and to keep Thor and Tony off camera. Those too were not good at interviews.

Yeah, you are really good at your job; you've had experience for this kind of work your whole life. Being the child of a rich family, heavily tied with the community, gave you those skills. Day after day, you made sure everyone you ever met knew just how great your life was, when it really wasn't. Even though he lived in the same house, you never really knew your dad, but that didn't keep you from wanting to impress him. You tried so hard to be the perfect kid, but it seems like he never noticed you. Your mom was worse; after finding out about your father's infidelity, she became cold towards you and your brother, only smiling at you two when she was in front of other people. You took it hard, but still smiled on the outside, still kept up all those pretenses. Your brother, however, did the opposite. He spiraled downward, turning to drugs and alcohol in his teens. When he was old enough, he was cut out of the family will and thrown out of the house. You were only in high school when it happened, and it was enough to convince you to keep up the charades, stay silent, and smile. Even after you left that house, you kept those same ideals, as much as you hated them. What else was there to do? 

Somewhere around the time after Tony Stark hired you, your father took interest in you again. You of course relished every moment spent with him, and followed him around like a lost puppy. You felt so pathetic, but all you wanted was your father's love. He eventually introduced you to one of his golfing buddies' son, Nicholas Taylor. The two fathers eventually convinced the two of you to go out on a date, and thus began your relationship with Nicholas. He was moderately handsome and extremely charming, not to mention filthy rich! Btu somehow you weren't too impressed by these things. What kept you in the relationship was your father's approval, and his love for Nicholas. You didn't want to end up like your brother, so you appeased your father and dated Nicholas on and off for 3 years. After that, you two moved in together and he eventually proposed, right after your title change to the Avenger's PR head. You didn't know if you wanted to get married to Nicholas, but after dating for so long, it seemed like the right thing to do, and in your mind, you figured it would never get any better than this. It never occurred to you why you kept putting off the wedding date. 

_Probably just nerves_ you figured.

The Avengers were always kind to you, treating you like "part of the family." It was a weird feeling, but you felt the most at home when you were around them. You smiled more genuinely and laughed like you never had before. The team tried their best to make your job easier on you, but you honestly didn't mind. They were the hardest clients you ever had, but somehow the best ones as well. 

Tony was always pampering you, but you knew it was purely platonic, his relationship with Pepper proved that. Sometimes you would find yourself staring at them and watching them interact, marveling at the love between them. You found yourself wishing for that, Nicholas was never one for public displays of affection. Steve was always such a gentleman to you, his 1940's charm only surpassed by Thor's, purely because you like how he always kissed your hand like you were royalty. Natasha was so protective of you, determined to teach you at least some self-defense skills in case you were ever targeted. And you did learn a few things, though you suspected they would go unused. Bruce was mostly quiet around you, but you could tell that he held respect for you, and he was always thankful after your "cleanups" following the aftermath of a Hulk episode. You suspected that he was withdrawn most of the time mostly because it was just his nature, but also because he felt like he was somewhat of a burden to your job. Knowing this, you made sure to let him know (subtly) just how wrong he was. You knew War Machine, or "Rhodey", from working with Tony, so you two had a pretty good relationship as well, able to understand one another after having to deal with Tony for so long. Sam, the twins, and Vision were fairly new to the team, but were still kind to you nonetheless. Lastly, there was Clint, known better as "Hawkeye." Since the first time he met you, he had been nothing but a flirt, though you assumed it was all in good fun. Just like the others, you were very close to him. Besides Tony, he was probably the closest person to you in the tower. You swore that he seemed upset when you announced your engagement, but you brushed it off as him being worried about you and feeling protective like the rest. 

Today was just another day on the job, as you eyed all of the avengers, making sure their outfits looked clean and pressed. The team had just finished their biggest mission since Ultron, and there was a banquet being held in their honor.

_ Honestly this is long overdue! After all they've done for Earth, they finally get a banquet! _

You were ecstatic, to say the least, though that feeling was heavily overshadowed by the fear that one of them would do something stupid at the party, and the press would get it on tape. This was not one of Tony's parties in the tower, this was held by the President of the United States! 

_If something goes wrong, there will be a lot of cleaning up to do!_  

You glanced over your clipboard to look at each team member individually before you cleared them to leave.

_ Tony's outfit? Suit and tie, perfect. Black Widow? Long red dress, good. _

You continued down the line until you stopped to look at Barton, who was looking pretty suspicious, the way he glanced around the room and whistled, as if hiding something. It was then you noticed what he was trying to hide, his tie was a mess! You set your clipboard down and made your way over to him.

"Really Barton?" You stepped up to the man and grabbed his loose bow tie. "You'd think you'd learn how to tie one of these after all of the times I've showed you!" He looked directly into your eyes as you began the tying process, his cologne invading your senses, distracting you for a moment.

"Well I guess that's my weakness then, pretty faces and bowties." He flashed you a smile as you playfully rolled your eyes at his inane comment. "Besides, I love the way you tie it." 

You looked up at him to see that his smile had faltered slightly, yet radiated a certain warmth, like what he said was more sincere than his last comment. Your eyes returned to his bowtie and you gave it a final tug, smoothing it out before you stepped back and away from him, picking up your clipboard up off where you left it. His words left a slight blush on your cheeks, but you ignored it for the most part. You shooed them out of the door and to the limo and watched as Clint made his way to Natasha, who looked like she was scolding him for some reason. You waited until all of them filed into the car and then approached the door of the limo, leaning in to give them a word before they left. You had to stifle a laugh as you looked at how uncomfortable Thor looked, hunched over in the limo, his legs pressed tightly against one another. The rest of the team seemed fine, save for Steve who looked like he could use a little wiggle room too. You knew if it were up to them they would have taken the quinjet, thankfully, they had you. You noticed that the billionaire was missing and Steve threw you a knowing smile.

"He's in the front. He insisted on driving us himself." Steve looked at you apologetically. You should have known this was coming, he never lets anyone drive him anywhere. With a small grumble, you looked at the front of the car in annoyance.

"Steve, be a dear and open the divider for me so Tony can hear this too." You smiled at the Captain as he pushed the button to his left to reveal the back of Tony's head. "Stark, you better be listening!" Tony turned his head to face you and gave you his "winning" smile he always gives when he's done something wrong, but knows he'll get away with it. "Alright, now that I have everyone's attention," you cleared your throat, "tonight will be very important! Don't try to interrogate anyone," you glanced at Natasha, "don't cause a ruckus or start a fight," you were looking at Thor now, you smiled at you sheepishly, "and don't make promises you can't keep." As your eyes found Tony's he knew that one was for him.

"Now how can I promise that I won't do that if I can't make any promises I can't keep." Tony smiled at you cheekily and you rolled your eyes in response.

"Just try to be on your best behavior, for me, please?" This time you gave them all the puppy dog eyes, trying to use their love for you against them. It seemed to have worked, as they all nodded in agreement and promised to be good. "That's great! I'll be following you to the party shortly, right after I wrap up here. Have fun you guys, and don't talk to reporters until I get there!" You flashed them a big smile and shut the door, Tony driving off soon after. 

You were making sure that the rest of the employees at the Avengers Tower would be able to hold the fort when you got a call from Nicholas.

"Excuse me, I have to take this." The employee you were speaking to nodded her head in understanding as you stepped away to find a quiet place to answer your phone. "Hey Nick, what's going on?"

"Hey sweetheart. Listen, I just got in from France and I'll be able to make it to the banquet you spoke of." You could hear the sounds of the airport in the background as Nicholas spoke.

"Wow, your back a week early!" You tried to sound excited.

"I know, the conference ended early and I wanted to surprise you!" You could already feel yourself getting less excited about the banquet.

_ I should be happy right? Why does him showing up unannounced make me upset? _

"That's great honey, I can't wait to see you there! I've got to go now, so I can make it on time! Love you!"

"Love you too sweetie." He hung up. Somehow you felt as though both your "I love you"s were emptier than they should be.

Maybe it was due to you knowing that he was seeing someone else on the side. You never confronted him about it; you didn't want to ruin what you two had built so far. You wanted to scream at him.

_ I've become just like _   _mom._ Your chest tightened at the thought

You cried in the bathroom for a little, tired of pretending. You knew now for sure; you didn't want to get married. Not to him at least. 

_ But if I break it off, what will dad say? _

You pushed the thought out of your mind as you made your way into your limo. You stayed silent the whole ride, absorbed in your thoughts.

_ Maybe we just need couples  counseling. Maybe I'm just imagining things. _

Someone else stayed silent their car ride as well, similarly lost in their thoughts. Clint took in every moment with you like it was his last. There was no way he could keep this up anymore, pretending like his flirting was without reason, without emotion. He couldn't stand how unhappy you looked with Nicholas, and in that car ride he made up his mind. 

He was going to tell you everything.

 


	2. Silly Girl with Silly Boys (A)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's cursing towards the end of this so beware!!

You were too busy twirling your engagement ring around your finger to notice that the car was approaching the venue for the banquet. You were recalling the day Nicholas had proposed, your face holding mixed emotions. There was a party at your father's country club celebrating your promotion. The Avengers themselves were invited, but they were far too busy at the time to attend. Regardless, throngs of people you had never met, or had only met once, showed up at your celebration, no doubt trying to get it in good with the Avengers. You honestly didn't even want to attend the party yourself, but you couldn't pass up dad's offer to spoil you! You stuck to him like glue throughout the entire ordeal, desperately wishing the festivities to be over before your drained energy became evident to the rest of the party go-ers. You had been sitting with your father, mother, and Nicholas, with his parents, when suddenly Nick stood up for a toast. 

"I've known (y/n) for three years now, but it didn't take me that long to realize just how amazing of a person they are." Nicholas smiled down at you and gripped your hand. "I've never met anyone so smart and captivating. And that's why," Nicholas moved from his standing position to kneel before you as the auditorium shared a collective gasp, "I want to ask you, (y/n) (l/n), will you marry me?" You could hear "aww"s and exclamations of excitement from the room as Nick pulled a ring out of his pocket. Your eyes went wide as the moment sunk in and you frantically looked to the members of your table. You looked to your parents, your mother wearing her "robotic" smile as always, and your father smiling proudly, slapping Nicholas' father's back jovially. Nicholas' parents seemed ecstatic, his mother even wiping away a few tears. You had a feeling that you were the only one at the table unaware of the proposal. Your eyes made a mad dash around the crowd, seeing everyone else just as excited, albeit more surprised, as your table. 

"Dear?" Nicholas' voice snapped you out of your trance and you looked back to his expecting eyes. You saw your father's face; you knew if you denied Nicholas' request, he would abandon you. You hadn't wanted things to go this far. You had hoped Nicholas would have lost interest in you and left. You could feel tears building up inside you, threatening to spill out. 

_I can't disappoint dad, not now, not when I've come so far. He has to love me, he just has to! I won't end up like my brother._

"Why not?" you said as your tears slipped down your cheeks and you smiled the biggest smile you could muster. Nicholas hugged you and the hall erupted into cheers.

Your eyes snapped up in attention as you felt the car come to a stop. You looked outside of your window to see the swarm of press being held back to create a line from your car to the double doors. Still, they were close enough to the point where you had to shield your eyes from the blinding lights of the camera flashes. Your driver came around to your side and opened the car door for you, offering his hand for you to take. You gladly accepted, uttering a silent thank you whilst flashing a tiny smile his way. Your eyes then flickered to the imposing dark wood double doors, staring at them in hopes that it would deter any reporters from asking you any questions right now. You knew that the important magazine and news journalists would be inside already, and you didn't have time to waste on these small town papers; you didn't have the energy either. You stalked your way across the red carpet that was spread out for the guests, focusing your mind on looking as unapproachable and powerful as possible. You didn't need Natasha to teach you the "murder walk," being who you where, you had plenty of time to learn that one on your own.

You let out the large sigh you had been holding in as you stepped through the doors, music and chatter flooding your ears. You threw on your best smile and looked around for any familiar faces. As your eyes roamed the room, you found that the old building had had some major renovations. The floors were replaced with a dark wood, matching the two large doors leading outside to the reporters. They had revamped the staircase, replacing the old banisters with more modern ones that matched the crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, and the walls had been redecorated and painted in a way that resembled a modernized Victorian Era. There was a bar on the second floor, and you immediately knew you'd at least find Tony, if not most of the Avengers, crowded around it. You weaved your way through the crowd towards the stairway, gripping the banister tightly once you arrived, pulling yourself up with each step. Unbeknownst to you, you had your fair share of secret admirers watching your every move as you ascended the stairs, looking on in awe at your electric smile. Ninety percent of the people who looked your way you had never even met, but of them, one man, who watched every breath leave your lips, you knew very well. He would have kept his jaw open the rest of the night, if Natasha hadn't playfully shut it herself, smiling broad as Clint sent an annoyed and bashful look her way. You never saw this playful exchange though, you were too busy searching the bar's occupants for someone you'd recognize. Your smile faltered as you realized there were nothing but unfamiliar faces crowded around the bar stools. 

_Not even Tony's here? That's surprising. Now I'm worried that he's talking to someone he shouldn't be._

You looked around the room, trying your best to mask the worry and confusion threatening to spill over. However, they don't call Clint Barton "Hawkeye" for nothing, as he noticed your discomfort immediately, and headed your way. You were just about to give up and sit at the bar yourself, when an arm made it's way across your hips. You flinched and turned your head to see just who had snaked their arm around you, hoping it was someone you knew. Your eyes met familiar ones, but instead of relaxing, your whole body stiffened.

_How did he get here so fast?_

Cint stopped in his tracks when he noticed your fiance come up behind you and wrap his arm around you. His face twisted in silent rage as he suppressed a growl.

"Nicholas!" You tried your best to hide your discomfort with a wide smile. "I can't believe you got here so fast!"

"I sped over here as fast as I could, I couldn't spend another second away from you!" That was a lie; you knew it. So what's the real reason?

"You're too sweet!" You hugged him close, but smelled something odd from his clothes.

"Did you buy a new cologne while you were in France? I don't remember this one." Nicholas seemed a bit flustered and taken aback by your question, which didn't go unnoticed by you.  

"Oh yeah," he rubbed the back of his head, "It's a new line that debuted over there." And just like that, the conversation went stiff. You two sat in silence for a while, shifting in the awkward tension. Nicholas suddenly broke the silence as he gently latched onto your arm, pointing with his free hand, "Why don't we head out onto the terrace?"

"Alright." You nodded, and followed him outside, glancing around at the party one last time before stepping out into the crisp fall air.

 Clint noticed you two head outside, Nicholas' hand on your arm, contemplating with himself whether or not to eavesdrop on your outdoor conversation. Natasha came up beside him as his mind warred with itself.

"You know, if I were you, I'd make sure he's a good fiance. Just keep an eye on (y/n), no harm in that right?" Clint raised an eyebrow and chuckled, half because Natasha could perfectly read his mind, and the other half because she was trying to convince him that _spying_ on you was a good idea.

"And you don't think (y/n) would mind if they found me stalking them?" Clint looked at Natasha incredulously.

"Well, (y/n) won't find out, if you play your cards right." Natasha smirked and walked off, leaving Clint to his thoughts. 

 

"Nicholas, why did you bring me out here?" You broke the silence this time, turning to look at him while you leaned on the railing. Nicholas didn't look at you' he just stared out onto the gardens below and fiddled with his watch. Finally he spoke up, still refusing to look at you.

"When are we getting married? Are we even getting married?"

"W-Why would you say that? Of course we're getting married! I've just been busy-"

"I know you've been busy, but you could have hired someone to make the plans for you, you could have _made_ time." Nicholas' voice held a hint of irritation.

"Nick, my job is very important to me-"

"So getting married isn't?"

"I don't know why you're so upset about this! I don't even think _you_ want to get married!" You snapped, your yelling surprising Nicholas, his face finally facing yours.

"Wh-"

"I know, about the affair." Nicholas was wide-eyed now, like a deer caught in headlights. But, he didn't look guilty...at all. Things were silent again, and you turned away from Nicholas, looking down at your ring now, wanting to throw it off the terrace and into the bushes below. It was so quiet, you wondered if Nick was even there anymore. You turned to look back at him and you almost lept back in surprise, for Nicholas' face held a different look now. It was like a whole different person had replaced him, his face twisted and smug looking.

"So what are you gonna do? Break it off? That won't make your daddy very happy now will it?" He chuckled to himself and you stood there in awe. "Your father _adores_ me. You can't get rid of me, unless you want him gone too." Your face twisted in fear and shock, and you felt like throwing up. "Baby, you're like an open book, following around your daddy like some lovesick puppy begging for a pat on the back. You need me, to keep him. That's how it's gonna work. You see, I like this arrangement. Being married to you opens up a lot of opportunities for me, I'm not about to let that slip. You break it off, and I'll ruin you, okay?" You were really gonna throw up now. You felt used, betrayed, and most of all stuck, because you knew that everything he said was right. Even if dad didn't hate you for going against his wishes, you knew this man would make sure to drive your name through the mud, and your dad wouldn't want you then. You felt tears prick at your eyes. Nicholas was walking away from you now, holding the door partially open before he looked back at you for one final word. "Oh yeah, and I get to fuck whoever I want." He was gone now. You stood there, eyes still wide, gripping the railing so tightly you thought it might break.

"(Y/n)?" You turned to see Clint standing where Nicholas was before, looking concerned. At that point you gave up trying to hold back all those tears. With a loud sob you fell to your knees, Clint rushing over to hold you. You sat there and cried in his arms. He gently grabbed your cheeks and lifted your face to his, looking deep into your eyes, so much emotion written on his face. "I'll kill that bastard (y/n)," you pulled yourself into his chest and broke into sobs once more, barely hearing him whisper, "I promise."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be maybe one or two chapters more after this, sorry Clint's not in it too much yet! The last chapter are all about him and you! If I spelled anything wrong, or messed up please let me know! Also let me know if you liked it~


	3. Silly Girl with Silly Boys (B)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was not too happy with how the first version of this chapter turned out, so I decided to re-write it! But don't worry, if you like the old version, I will still be pursuing the ending for that one~ In this version, Nicholas is not a dick and Hawkeye gets to you first at the party! I changed somethings at the beginning of the chapter too, so please read the whole thing! I will continue this timeline as well as the other one, as label them as "A" and "B." This chapter is in timeline "B."

You were too busy twirling your engagement ring around your finger to notice that the car was approaching the venue for the banquet. You were recalling the day Nicholas had proposed, your face holding mixed emotions. There was a party at your father's country club celebrating your promotion. The Avengers themselves were invited, but they were far too busy at the time to attend. Regardless, throngs of people you had never met, or had only met once, showed up at your celebration, no doubt trying to get it in good with the Avengers. You honestly didn't even want to attend the party yourself, but you couldn't pass up dad's offer to spoil you! You stuck to him like glue throughout the entire ordeal, desperately wishing the festivities to be over before your drained energy became evident to the rest of the party go-ers. You had been sitting with your father, mother, and Nicholas, with his parents, when suddenly Nick stood up for a toast. 

"I've known (y/n) for three years now, but it didn't take me that long to realize just how amazing of a person they are." Nicholas smiled down at you and gripped your hand. "I've never met anyone so smart and captivating. And that's why," Nicholas moved from his standing position to kneel before you as the auditorium shared a collective gasp, "I want to ask you, (y/n) (l/n), will you marry me?" You could hear "aww"s and exclamations of excitement from the room as Nick pulled a ring out of his pocket. Your eyes went wide as the moment sunk in and you frantically looked to the members of your table. You looked to your parents, your mother wearing her "robotic" smile as always, and your father smiling proudly, slapping Nicholas' father's back jovially. Nicholas' parents seemed ecstatic, his mother even wiping away a few tears. You had a feeling that you were the only one at the table unaware of the proposal. Your eyes made a mad dash around the crowd, seeing everyone else just as excited, albeit more surprised, as your table. 

"Dear?" Nicholas' voice snapped you out of your trance and you looked back to his expecting eyes. You saw your father's face; you knew he wanted this, he adored Nicholas. But did you want this? Logically, marriage was the next step, as you and Nicholas were already living together. You had a perfect relationship on paper, you two never fought, and he was always so sweet to you. But sometimes you felt like what you two had was more of a business partnership than a romantic relationship.

_ Maybe that's what love is for me. Passionate love never seems to last anyways, it's stability that is prided in a marriage right? But still, shouldn't I be more excited, jumping up and down like any normal person would? Could it be that we've been "playing house" for so long that marriage doesn't seem like such a big step? Yeah, that must be it. _

You had convinced yourself that it may not be what you wanted, but it was what was expected of you.

_ No one gets what they really want anyways. _

"Why not?" you said as you smiled the biggest smile you could muster. Nicholas hugged you and the hall erupted into cheers.

Your eyes snapped up in attention as you felt the car come to a stop. You looked outside of your window to see the swarm of press being held back to create a line from your car to the double doors. Still, they were close enough to the point where you had to shield your eyes from the blinding lights of the camera flashes. Your driver came around to your side and opened the car door for you, offering his hand for you to take. You gladly accepted, uttering a silent thank you whilst flashing a tiny smile his way. Your eyes then flickered to the imposing dark wood double doors, staring at them in hopes that it would deter any reporters from asking you any questions right now. You knew that the important magazine and news journalists would be inside already, and you didn't have time to waste on these small town papers; you didn't have the energy either. You stalked your way across the red carpet that was spread out for the guests, focusing your mind on looking as unapproachable and powerful as possible. You didn't need Natasha to teach you the "murder walk," being who you where, you had plenty of time to learn that one on your own.

You let out the large sigh you had been holding in as you stepped through the doors, music and chatter flooding your ears. You threw on your best smile and looked around for any familiar faces. As your eyes roamed the room, you found that the old building had had some major renovations. The floors were replaced with a dark wood, matching the two large doors leading outside to the reporters. They had revamped the staircase, replacing the old banisters with more modern ones that matched the crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, and the walls had been redecorated and painted in a way that resembled a modernized Victorian Era. There was a bar on the second floor, and you immediately knew you'd at least find Tony, if not most of the Avengers, crowded around it. You weaved your way through the crowd towards the stairway, gripping the banister tightly once you arrived, pulling yourself up with each step. Unbeknownst to you, you had your fair share of secret admirers watching your every move as you ascended the stairs, looking on in awe at your electric smile. Ninety percent of the people who looked your way you had never even met, but of them, one man, who watched every breath leave your lips, you knew very well. He would have kept his jaw open the rest of the night, if Natasha hadn't playfully shut it herself, smiling broad as Clint sent an annoyed and bashful look her way. You never saw this playful exchange though, you were too busy searching the bar's occupants for someone you'd recognize. Your smile faltered as you realized there were nothing but unfamiliar faces crowded around the bar stools. 

_ Not even Tony's here? That's surprising. Now I'm worried that he's talking to someone he shouldn't be. _

You looked around the room, trying your best to mask the worry and confusion threatening to spill over. However, they don't call Clint Barton "Hawkeye" for nothing, as he noticed your discomfort immediately, and headed your way. You were just about to give up and sit at the bar yourself, when an arm made it's way across your hips. You flinched and started to turn your head to see who it was, but before you could, the "perpetrator" leaning into your ear and whispered.

"Looking for me?" You could almost see the smug look on Clint's face at his words. You smiled warmly, relieved at the sound of a familiar voice. You lightly pulled Barton's arm off of you and turned to face him properly, his arm still in your grasp.

"Actually, I was looking for Tony, but I guess you'll do~" You sent a playful smile his way as he twisted his face in mock hurt at your words. "How did you know I was looking for someone?"

"Well you were frantically looking around the room, so that helped," he teased. In response, you dropped his arm before playfully slapping it, earning a "Hey!" and a slight chuckle from him.

"I really do need to find Tony though, would you help me?"

"Of course. Last I saw of him, he was downstairs." Clint nodded in the direction of the staircase before walking towards it, with you tailing behind him.

"And the others?" You spoke as you reached the top of the steps. Clint did a quick scan of the room before turning back to you.

"Natasha is chatting with some old SHEILD agents, Bruce is sitting with Doctor Cho at a table downstairs, Thor is with Jane, who is talking to a group of people, most likely scientists, the twins and Vision seem to be keeping to themselves, and Cap, Sam, and Rhodey are talking to what I assume to be fellow veterans."

"Good, no one's in trouble...yet." You shared a laugh with Clint, but you silently hoped they would stay out of trouble the whole night. Sometimes you felt more like a team mom than a PR head. "That still leaves Tony though, so let's go look for him downstairs." Clint nodded and you two descended the steps looking around the ballroom floor for the playboy billionaire himself. When you reached the first floor, you looked around until you found him in a secluded area under the top floor. He was sharing an intimate moment with Pepper, as they were slow dancing as seemed to be having a very private conversation. Hawkeye followed your line of sight to the couple in the back. He looked back at you to see you smiling at them warmly, almost as if you were in longing. He stepped out in front of you, breaking your trance.

"Well, now that we found him," Clint extended his hand to you, "would you care for a dance?" he said, putting on a funny "snobby" accent that made you giggle as you nodded and took his hand. You two had impeccable timing, for when you approached the dance floor, a new song had started, one you recognized immediately. You loved this song, to the point where you had it listed as your "first dance" song for your wedding. 

*AN: I had "So Close" in mind for the dance scene, but you can choose any song you want!*

You looked at Clint with a bright smile on your face, which he returned with a warm enticing gaze, making your cheeks heat up. You two weren't the best of dancers, but you were sure that you were having the most fun out of all the couple on the floor.

"Well it seems like bowties aren't your only weakness!" you laughed as Hawkeye "twirled" you around.

"So I'm guessing you're not impressed by my dancing skills?" He wiggled his eyebrows at you, making you laugh harder and lean into him. After your laughing fit, you looked up from Clint's chest and straight into his eyes. You two stood completely still, just staring at one another before Clint started to lean in. And then...your cellphone went off.

"Oh!" You quickly pulled it from your pocket (If you're wearing a dress, the dress has pockets okay) and looked at the name written on the screen. "It's Nicholas, I'm going to have to take this." You answered it quickly, and stepped away from Clint and the dance floor to find a secluded, quiet area. Clint sighed and scratched the back of his head. He knew he had gotten a little too close and had almost kissed you. You had wanted to talk to you first, not force himself on you, but sometimes it was just so hard to keep his composure around you. You made him crazy! He just wished you knew. Clint followed you to your little corner, making sure to keep a safe enough distance to show he wasn't trying to eavesdrop. He watched you hang up and sigh as you put your phone away. You turned to Clint and he raised his eyebrows, obviously wanting to know what the phone call was about.

"Nicholas came back early from his business trip and was supposed to make the banquet, but traffic is so bad he'll have to miss it. He said he'll see me at home though." You smiled at Barton, using the fake smile you always pull when someone asks about Nick.

"Stop that." Clint furrowed his brows at you, his face serious. Your smile faded as you looked at him confused.

"W-What do you-"

"Stop smiling like that, I know something's wrong. I can't stand it, you pretending to be happy."

"I'm not pretending, I am happy!"

"No you're not!"

"How would you know?!?"

"Because I've been there!" Clint's outburst startled you and your anger switched back to confusion. It was silent for a while before Clint spoke up again, his voice softer this time. "When I was a kid, my father would drink...a lot. And when he drank he would beat me and my brother, and sometimes even my mom. I know what it's like to pretend like nothing's wrong, like everything's perfect. I know what a fake smile looks like, I've worn one."

"Clint I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay, he's dead now; he died a long time ago." Clint had his arms crossed and was staring intensely at the floor. He lifted his head to look at you, his eyes holding a hint of sorrow. "So," he started, "you gonna tell me why you're pretending to be happy?" You looked away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Sure... just... I think I'm gonna need a drink first."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think! Is this one better? Or does each one have it's own charm?  
> Look for more chapter in the coming week!


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